Tag Archives: Drug Free

Cumming, GA, April 11, 2016– Substances and ways of using drugs are ever-changing. Please mark your calendars to join us at the April 19 Summit at the Forsyth Conference Center located at 3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard, Cumming GA 30041. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday evening’s Summit includes special speaker Report Jeremy Campbell from the Inside the Heroin Triangle series. This powerful free-to-the-public Drug Summit provides our local communities with a way to stay ahead of the deadly trends by educating, promoting prevention, sharing resources for recovery, and providing hope.

“We encourage families to take time to attend the Forsyth County Drug Summit and stay pro-active in our communities and at home. The key to success is a combination of Prevention, Destigmatization, Recovery, Hope, and the time to start making a difference is now.” Program Director, Tammy Nicholson

The Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council was created in 2013 by local community leaders who saw a need to take action to educate, advocate, and empower our communities about substance abuse prevention, recovery, and hope. The response at first 2013 Summit was tremendous and has continued each year. In 2015 the Council became a newly grant funded Drug Free Community Coalition and continues to grow in its outreach and impact.

Would you like to join the council or request more information? If so, please contact Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council at 770-887-1710 or email at tammy@unitedwayforsyth.com.

Did you know that 4 out of 5 kids will try drugs and/or alcohol before their senior year of high school and over half of all kids will have tried an illicit drug prior to senior year? These are national statistics but this epidemic has infiltrated our county as well. We’re losing children to overdose and incarceration due to drug use. This has to stop!

For this reason, Forsyth County has recently created the Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council. This council is tasked with educating residents on drug use in the county, promoting prevention programs and providing lists of resources for residents on what do to when they suspect a loved one is abusing drugs or alcohol. Find more information at www.forsythcountydrugawarenesscouncil.org.

The council started meeting in 2013 and is led by County Commissioner, Cindy Mills. This “task force” of sorts encompasses members from law enforcement, justice officials, non-profits, health care, Forsyth County Schools, parents, business owners, and other community groups. Their first Drug Summit was held in November 2013 with an overwhelming turnout of over 500 people! You can view the entire summit in full on you tube. Just search for Forsyth County Drug Summit.

The next drug summit will be held FEBRUARY 25TH AT 7PM AT FORSYTH CONFERENCE CENTER. 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd, Cumming, GA . If you have kids or grandkids, if you have neighbors with kids, if you have an addict in the family (which most of us do) please don’t miss this!! This is new information so if you attended the last summit, this will add to that information. Topics to be addressed: the types of drugs kids are exposed to, what to look for in your kids, what can lead to drug use and resources if you have a loved one with substance abuse issues. Booths will be set up for additional resources and for private discussions after the speakers.

Our goal is to prevent youth from trying drugs and alcohol. Addiction is a disease. You never know whom it will hit and like cancer, it can only be overcome with treatment. Whether you are trying to prevent your child from using or have a child that is using, you need to be at this event. Knowledge is power.

If you know or suspect your child is using come to the newly formed Parent Connect Meeting, every Thursday night, Creekside Church, 7pm, RM 205, Peachtree Parkway. This is a support group for parents of kids with substance abuse issues.